WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR BRILLIANT MOVIE,
EIGHTH GRADE.
YOU WROTE IT, DIRECTED THE FILM.
FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW TELL THEM WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
>> IT'S ABOUT A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL, HER LAST WEEK OF EIGHTH
GRADE AND NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS BUT IT FEELS LIKE A LOT.
>> James: IT'S A BRILLIANT BRILLIANT FILM.
BUT IT'S TRUE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS OFTEN AVERY AWKWARD TIME.
WHAT WAS TIG NOTARO LIKE 8th GRADE MIDDLE SCHOOL?
WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE?
>> I WAS A BIT MISCHIEVOUS.
I WAS TERRIBLE.
I FAILED EIGHTH GRADE TWICE.
>> NO!
>> I DID, YES.
I FAILED -- >> TIG, NO!
>> I FAILED EIGHTH GRADE TWICE, THEY MOVED ME TO NINTH GRADE AND
THEN I DROPPED OUT OF NINTH GRADE AND I ESSENTIALLY HAVE A
SEVENTH GRADE EDUCATION.
>> James: DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF EDUCATION --
>> I GOT MY GED, GENERAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA, NOT TO BE
BRAGGADOCIOUS, BUT JUST VERY GENERAL EDUCATION.
AND I PASSED.
>> FROM HARVARD GENERAL RIGHT?
>> EXACTLY.
BUT I GOT IT AND I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT IT ON MY TABLE AT THE
HOUSE.
AND MY CAT ATE IT.
AND YOU KNOW THERE'S ALL THIS PRESSURE PUT ON YOU, LIKE OZ YOU
GOT TO GET AN EDUCATION OR AT LEAST GET YOUR GENERAL EDUCATION
DIPLOMA.
AND THEN MY CAT EATS IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE
STRESSED AT FIRST BUT THEN IT WAS KIND OF HUMAN OROUS TO THINK
THAT THIS DIPLOMA WAS DIGESTED BY MY CAT.
AND THEN ENDED UP IN A LITTER BOX.
>> James: WELL, IT DIDN'T JUST END UP IN A LITTER BOX
BECAUSE WE HAVE IT HERE.
AND CAN YOU SEE THIS, HERE, THIS IS TIG'S GED FROM SCHOOL.
>> THAT IS MY REAL NAME.
(APPLAUSE) >> WAIT, WE SHOULD GIVE AN
APPLAUSE TO HOW CLEAN HER CAT'S GASTROIINTESTINAL SYSTEM IS.
>> James: YOU WORKED AS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.
>> RIGHT AFTER HIGH SCHOOL I TAUGHT 10th GRADE AT A PRIVATE
SCHOOL, POORLY.
>> NO.
>> YES!
IT WAS WILD!
>> James: WHAT WAS MR. CHO LIKE AS A TEACHER?
>> I GREW DOING IT ONCE.
AND YOU THINK PEOPLE LOVED IT.
THEY DIDN'T.
>> THEY DIDN'T?
>> James: THEY WEREN'T LAUGHING WITH YOU, THEY WERE
VERY MUCH LAUGHING AT YOU.
AND THEN IT JUST BECOMES A THING.
>> WEP WELL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU'VE GOTTEN OVER IT.
>> James: DON'T YOU DARE!